


"Keep Close to The One You Love The Most"

by sandean_cas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aftermath of a Case, Angst, Awesome Missouri Moseley, BAMF Castiel (Supernatural), Castiel Does Not Get The References (Supernatural), Castiel Does Not Understand Boundaries (Supernatural), Castiel Does Not Understand Jokes (Supernatural), Castiel Heals Dean Winchester, Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Castiel and Dean Winchester Have a Profound Bond, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Castiel is Loved (Supernatural), Castiel is Not Amused (Supernatural), Castiel is So Done (Supernatural), Castiel is So Done with Dean Winchester, Civil War in Heaven (Supernatural), Conversations in the Impala (Supernatural), Cursed Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester Hates Witches, Dean Winchester Prays to Castiel, Eye Sex, Feels, Fluff, Hurt Dean Winchester, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Idiots in Love, Jealous Castiel (Supernatural), Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Misconceptions, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Castiel (Supernatural), Oblivious Castiel/Dean Winchester, Oblivious Dean Winchester, Panicking Castiel (Supernatural), Panicking Sam Winchester, Past Cassie Robinson/Dean Winchester, Protective Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester is Loved, Season/Series 06, Witch Curses, perhaps a bit more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 12:46:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandean_cas/pseuds/sandean_cas
Summary: Dean gets hit with a love spell on a hunt.He has to 'keep close to the one he loves the most' or his molecules will go berserk and he'll explode.Like a good friend Castiel takes him to every person he's ever met to prevent his certain death.Dean thinks it's Sam... it has to be... right?It's not Bobby or Lisa or even Cassie!Can Missouri help them figure it out before Dean goes boom?





	1. Chapter 1

Dean lies on the floor, the occasional spasm pinning him in place. He can still hear the thunderous footfalls as the witch dashes away from him.

Her warning words chime like a bell in his ears: “Keep close to the one you love the most.”

“Dean!” Sam’s shout has him trying harder to get his muscles under control, but to no avail.

He lies there, trembling, trapped in his own skin for what feels like hours. Then finally the sounds of fighting die down and he sees Sam drop to his knees beside him, worry dancing in his eyes.

“Dean.” He pleads, “I prayed to Cass. He should be coming. I told him it was you – that you…”

“Dean!” this time the voice is deeper, baritone.

Cass hovers above him with a pinched expression. “Let me heal you.” he crouches next to Dean his two fingered touch sending tendrils of cool through Dean and his spasming muscles. Finally, he’s able to gain some sort of control and manoeuvre himself into a sitting position.

“What did she hit you with?” demands Sam.

He shakes his head, only remembering a few words of the incantation that he replays to Sam, “Oh and she said ‘Keep close to the one you love the most.’”

Sam pulls his phone out, typing rapidly, leaving Dean and Cass to just stare at each other.

“How did she get the drop on you Dean?” he asks.

“I dunno.” He mutters sheepishly, “She snuck up on me while I was distracted with her brother.”

The angel’s face remains expressionless.

“If you feel okay now, I have to go.” Cass’ voice is tinged with regret and he gazes at Dean with the ‘I’d rather be here and you know it’ look, “My lieutenants have it on good authority that Raphael is planning a personal attack on my troops within the next few hours.”

Dean doesn’t feel fine. But he does feel guilty about how much they’ve been calling him away from his army when the enemy was right on his heels. He doesn’t want the angel to think that they’re just using him.

“I understand.” He says, his poker face slipping on, “Go… command.”

“Very well Dean.” His shoulders flex. Dean has the movements he makes before suddenly departing inscribed in his brain by now.

“No. Stop!”

Cass relaxes, tilting his head to peer at Sam with curious eyes.

“Cass.” He crocks his finger, gesturing for the angel to come closer.

Oh hell no, Dean thinks. Instinctively, his hands shoot out, latching onto a handful of that hideous tan trench coat. “You’re not cutting me out of this Sammy. Speak up.”

Sam presses his lips together and furrows his brows in clear annoyance, “It’s a proximity spell Dean. If you don’t find the person who you love most in this world within… a day I’m guessing, then your atoms will spread out in all direction trying to find that person and …”

“And…” he prompts.

Cass glances down at him. The worry once more present in his gaze, “You’ll explode.”

The three of them stand in silence for a moment. Dean can see Sam wracking his brain, trying to think of something. He the way panic seizes Cass body, the way he suddenly can’t look at Dean. Dean, however, he’s just curious, “What if I’m not in love.”

Sam shakes his head, “You don’t have to be in love.” He insists, “She said that it was the ‘one you love most.’”

“Easy.” Says Dean, as he relaxes once more, “It’s you Sammy.” Then to Cass, “You can head out buddy, we don’t want you to be ambushed up in angel land.”

Cass sighs in relief, crouching once more to clasp Dean on the shoulder before taking off.

“Still weirds me out when he does that. Even when I know he’s about to jet.”

…

They’re in the Impala when it happens next. Dean doesn’t feel any inkling of anything amiss until his hand jerks and he almost runs them off the road. Thankfully, Sam wrenches the wheel away from him and takes his foot off the peddle so Baby just skids to a stop somewhere off the road.

He pants, trying and failing to control himself. It’s worse than before… now that he knows what’s happening. That his – atoms – are trying to stretch away from him and fly off to whoever it is that Dean ‘loves most.’ Well that doesn’t leave a bad taste in his mouth.

To his right he hears Sam talking, trying to keep him still, but he can’t. He can’t…

Then suddenly it doesn’t feel as though his body is plotting against him. He doesn’t feel calm, but he feels better.

“Dean.” The angel’s voice is lower than before, coated in a thick layer of regret, “I shouldn’t have left until I knew for sure.”

He wants to reassure him, but he can’t; his tongue still sits heavily in his mouth.

“Cass it’s not me.” Sam almost sounds woeful and Dean winces, trying once more to move his lips.

“It’s – Sammy it’s gotta be you.”

Sam shakes his head, “It isn’t me Dean.”

Dean tries again, wanting to take that look of betrayal off his baby brother’s face, but Sam shushes him, “It’s okay that it’s not me, Dean. You’re allowed to have a life… other interests.”

Dean shakes his head in disbelief, true despair washing over him for the first time since the spell. If it isn’t Sam, then he doesn’t have the foggiest who it is.

…

“Dean.” Castiel’s voice is stern, but probing, like he isn’t sure how Dean will react to what he says next, “I’m going to fly you to everyone you know. We’ll stay for five minutes at a time and then we’ll move on.”

That… that could actually work. Dean can’t love someone he hasn’t met. But the problem lies in the solution. He’s sure, that over the years, both him and Sam have met upwards of ten thousand people. Granted, a few of them would be in the same general location, but that’s a hell of a lot of trips.

Cass presses on with his plan, “I’m an angel. I know ever soul you’ve met. Let’s go Dean.”

It’s a long shot. But long shots are the Winchester way.

“Sorry Sammy.” Dean mutters, still unable to look his brother in the eye as the shame continues to devour him. He’d had one job: look out for Sammy. Dean should love him more than anything… he’d died for his brother… how could it be anyone else. Who could he love more than _Sam?_

…

Dean feels woozy, shaky.

He grabs Castiel’s arm stilling him. Dean can’t take another one of those flights where he was ripped from one house and catapulted into another.

“Stop.” He breathes. “Stop.” They’d been going for over ten hours straight.

Castiel grabs his arm firmly… angrily?

“No.” he mutters, “This isn’t working.”

They’d visited the most prominent people in Dean’s life first: Bobby, Ellen, Jo, a shit ton of other hunters, they’d even gone to Lisa’s pretending to fix the internet connection. None of it worked. They’d moved on to people that Dean had saved, moving backwards… but nothing. No relief.

“Think Dean.” Commands the angel, fire blazing in his gaze. Dean had forgotten about his war in Heaven, he feels guilty. But if he has to die at least he’ll be with his friend. _Shameful, Winchester, you should let him go. _Dean knows he won’t. He’s too selfish. “There must be someone we missed.”

He hears Balthazar’s voice ringing in his ears, “…angel in the dirty trench coat who’s in love with you.” It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. He’d kept quiet of course. But this must be living hell for his friend. Scouring the earth for the person that Dean really loves. He looks away.

Balthazar… he calls Cass Cassie – “Cassie.” He breathes. “She’s the first person I’ve ever loved.”

A mixture of joy and melancholy swirl in Castiel’s eyes. Dean doesn’t get to look too long as he’s whisked away.

“Cassie.” His voice is deliberately soft, not wanting to spook her more than necessary.

Nevertheless, she startles, jumping away from her desk.

“What the hell Dean?” she breathes. Her posture turns defensive as she spots Castiel

Castiel touches his shoulder softly to get his attention. “Dean is this helping?”

He thinks for a moment. At this moment he feels some relief… a lot of relief actually. And Castiel must see it on his face because he drops his hand taking a huge step away. _Personal space,_ Dean thinks bitterly. “Call if you need me.” And then he’s gone.

“Again.” Says Cassie, seeming to catch her wits, “What the hell Dean?”

He grimaces, “Short story?” she nods, “I got cursed by a witch. Seems like I you’re my hakuna matata.”

“So you got cursed and you hightailed it here?”

“Well.” He rubs his neck sheepishly, “Me and Cass hightailed it all over. The curse said ‘keep close to the one you love most’” he parrots. He presses on quickly, picking up the tell-tale guilt in her eyes, “I honestly thought I was over you. But the universe says otherwise.”

“Regardless.” She says, embracing him fiercely, “It’s been too damn long Dean. I’m happy to help.”

“Thanks Cassi- ” he throat closes off and he feels his knees buckle. Cassie’s hold on him is the only thing keeping him from face-planting embarrassingly.

“C-Ca- ” he wheezes everything thrumming inside him once more, “C-Cass!”

“I’m here Dean.” She says.

But she isn’t the one he needs. Out of the corner of his eye he sees his Cass appear, stalking over.

“Cass.” He calls once more.

“I’m here Dean.” The angel presses his hands to Dean’s face, sending a calming burst of energy flowing through him as though his veins are just a river. Instantly, he’s back.

A river.

Missouri!

“Cass take me to Missouri Mosely.”

…

“Dean!” she greets, pinching his arm. She looks the same as six years ago.

“Missouri.”

“And who’s the handsome devil over there?” she wonders.

He huffs, “That’s Cass. And FYI he’s an angel.”

“And don’t you know it.” Dean doesn’t understand what she means.

“I don’t think I have much time.” he rushes, “You need to – read my aura or something. A witch cursed me. If I don’t find the ‘thing I love most on this earth’ then I’ll go boom!”

She pulls back in shock, “You stupid boy.”

“Dean, this isn’t helping.” Cass moves to teleport them away but Missouri grabs his hand, tossing it away.

“Now, now. Let me explain.” She gestures at the couch and they sit, restlessly, “I smelt that curse on you soon as you walked in the door. But… I thought that you’d already figured it out. I can see your aura Dean, I can see how calm you are right now.”

Dean doesn’t get it. Castiel doesn’t either. Missouri lets out a great sigh, overwhelmed by the stupidity in the room.

“So, unless you’re a zombie come back from the dead, you’ve already found your ‘person.’”

“Impossible.” Dean grunts.

Castiel agrees, “He’s still in a dire condition.”

“Right at this minute?” she raises her brows conspiratorially, “Because what I can read about this curse… it’s that if Dean doesn’t find the person he loves most within an hour of being cured. He dead.”

“You must have –” Dean tries.

“You do not want to finish that sentence boy.” She admonishes.

“Who is it?” asks Castiel.

Missouri glances between them, “The person needs to stay with him for a day after, just to be safe.”

“That doesn’t tell me who it is.” Gripes the angel.

“Think about when he’s started trembling.” Missouri looks so done with them both, “And who was there when it stopped.”

“Dean can you make heads or snails of this?” Castiel demands.

His mind has gone numb in realisation. It’s all he can do to correct Cass, “Heads or tails buddy.”

“Tails.” The angel parrots.

Dean’s eyes are glued to him in wonder. Not believing that he’d missed it. He was so caught up with Cass’ affection that he’d completely missed his own.

Who can he love more than his brother?

Someone he’d given everything for.

Someone he’d forgive of anything,

Someone who he would miss if they were gone.

Cass.

“It’s you Cass.”

And as he says it, the weight of it collides with him. Cass won’t go back to his war, he’ll –

“Dean.” The angel snaps, “I can ‘feel you thinking.’” Damn air quotes, “Heaven can wait. You can’t”

“Apparently I love you most in the whole world.” He teases.

Cass’ eyes gleam, “I’m sure we’ll have lots of time to _talk_ all about your love during the day we shall spend together.”

Dean smirks, “Talk.”


	2. Personal Attack

Missouri had taken Castiel as Dean stepped Castiel outside to tell Sam about what they had learned.

“You recognise that only angel magic can facilitate a spell that compelling.”

He hadn’t.

His mind flashed back to Raphael. How suspiciously clear the message of his plans were… almost as though it was meant for Castiel to find. For him to be so caught up with heaven that he would ignore the Winchesters. He shakes his head solemnly. Everyone should know, by now, that _nothing_ would ever tear him away from Dean.

He’s bask in his time with Dean then he would march into heaven and with the promise of going back to Dean as fuel, he’d light the silver city on fire.


End file.
